Still Enduring It
by EchoResonance
Summary: He endured a lot of things, just for her. But she was more than worth it in his eyes
1. Emerald and Amber

_**Yes, in some areas I took some liberties. Is that not the whole basis of fanfiction? I find saying this tiresome, but every time I take an actual existing episode and embellish it in FANFICTION, I find people commenting on how "that never happened" or "he never said that". My motto: Fanfiction, because I want it my way. -.-'**_

_**Okay, enough ranting. Please, enjoy! **_

_Enduring?_ Misaki thought, watching Kuuga walk away, still smirking to himself. _Enduring what?_

A stupid question, she knew already. Enduring her physical abuse. Enduring her verbal flaying. Enduring her constant lies and denials. Enduring her lack of openness when he was so very bluntly honest. Really, the list could go on and on for ages.

Deep, deep down on the most basic level of her understanding, she knew how Usui felt. She refused to acknowledge it with the rest of her being, but that part of her knew that what Usui said he felt was real, and not just one of his little games designed to tease her. She, and everyone else who knew the two of them, knew what she was to him. But she still wasn't sure what he was to her. Usui Takumi loved her. He did, and she knew it, but she didn't understand why, with everything she always seemed to put him through.

She wasn't fair to him, she already knew that. She was strict and violent and clueless, just as Kuuga had accused her of being, and she couldn't for the life of her understand what about all of that drew Usui. Maybe he was simply a masochist. Misaki couldn't say for sure. But she found that the thought of Usui enduring all these awful things for her made her feel damn awful as well.

Usui frowned as he got closer. Something seemed to be bothering Misaki. It was plain on her pretty face. In fact, if Usui didn't know any better, he would say that she looked…close to tears.

"Sorry for the wait," said Usui, taking a sip from his drink. His Misa jumped and whipped around to look at him. Her cheeks were glowing red again. "It was packed with people, so I had to wait."

She didn't say anything. Her amber eyes just continued to look sad.

"What's the matter?" asked Usui with a frown. He took a step closer.

Misaki blushed and looked away. This kind of behavior was far from rare for her: the blushing and the inability to meet his eyes. But that expression was not normal for her.

"I-it's nothing," she mumbled.

Usui looked at her curiously, even concernedly, but she didn't elaborate. His brows creased into a frown. When she glanced back up, the color in her cheeks darkened further.

"What's that look for?" she spluttered, quickly looking away again.

"It's nothing," said Usui, shaking his head. "Let's go enjoy the rest of the festival."

The next hour or so was spent just walking between different booths, trying certain foods here and there, and playing several games. Playing was really too gentle a word. Any game they participated in, they dominated. It was the way Usui and Misaki worked when they were together. As Yukimura had once said, they were the Golden Team.

When they had exhausted themselves—or rather, bored themselves—with the games, they escaped the large throngs of people in favor of a slightly less crowded area of the grounds. The two of them sat together on a short garden wall at the edge of the festival, so close together that it was impossible for either to ignore. The sun was just beginning to set above them, sending streaks of amber and gold across the sky. Soon it would be gone, and the stars would come out, just to be outshone by the fireworks display that was going to take place at the end of the festival. However, right then, the sky was a beautiful ocher color, streaked through with deeper shades of amber.

_Almost the exact color of Misa-chan's eyes,_ thought Usui. _But not as striking._

"Well, I've completed what I came here to do…I think."

There was no question that she was talking about evaluating Kuuga for Sakura.

"Huh, you're not acting like your usual self," he said softly, looking over at her. She was usually so sure, so confident. But today, she hadn't been.

"It's not up to me to decide, anyway," she mumbled, looking off to the side.

She was fidgeting her feet, and playing with her fingers in her lap. The heat in her cheeks refused to go away, and the pounding of her heartbeat just seemed to be getting worse. Why? It couldn't be because she was sitting next to Usui, so close that their hips were brushing and she could feel the natural warmth emanating from him. It surely wasn't because she was so close to Usui that she could hear his almost silent breath. Oh, and it certainly wasn't because of the strange desire she felt to be even closer to him. No, that was silly.

"Well, since we're done already, shall we head back?" asked Usui with a smile.

His bright green eyes lit up when he did that. It was hard not to notice such a thing, when a smile was so rare for the perpetually bored Usui Takumi. It wasn't odd that Misaki had noticed that, was it?

_Don't tell me he's still enduring it?_

How could Kuuga manage to confuse her like that? Well, she supposed it wasn't really Kuuga that had her all twisted into knots. That was one hundred percent Usui. Despite that, she'd been enjoying her time with Usui today.

Misaki…Misaki didn't want to leave. She was actually having a lot of fun, at least, up until that short little spat with Kuuga. Though she was loathe to admit it out loud, if she was with Usui, she almost always had fun.

"W-wait. Since we're here already…" she said, face feeling extremely hot.

Usui loved seeing Misaki blush. It was so cute, because she got so embarrassed, and then she just blushed even more. It proved that she had a side other than the super strict president of student council. Not that he hadn't already known that. His Misaki Ayuzawa had many sides, all of which he loved.

"I wanna stay until it ends…" she mumbled, looking down at her hands folded neatly in her lap. "Usui, are you still free?"

Slightly caught off guard by the question, Usui's beautiful emerald eyes widened. It wouldn't do to have her take him by surprise. He put on a wry expression, raising an eyebrow and fighting a smirk.

"This is very unexpected indeed," he muttered.

Her blush deepened even more, and she leapt to her feet in agitation. He wanted to laugh at how quickly her temper flared. It was one of the most entertaining things about her, after all. At least, it was to him.

"What's wrong?! I just felt like inviting you!" she snapped, trying to look irritated. The dark redness of her cheeks didn't lend to that attempt.

When he didn't answer right away, she turned on her heel.

"Fine! I'll just go there alone!" she growled, storming away.

With a smile, Usui rose to his feet, hands in the pockets of his khaki pants.

"All right," he said.

Misaki stopped and looked back at him.

"We cleared the trial and got this special invitation anyway," he said, holding out the ticket.

"R-right," Misaki muttered.

"Your face is so red," chuckled Usui, walking to her and setting a hand on her cheek.

She made a startled noise, her eyes flicking up to his. Gold met emerald, and her blush darkened even more.

"If you blush any more," Usui murmured, leaning in so that he could whisper in her ear. "It might not ever go away. Someone's going to ask you if you're having heat stroke soon."

"Sh-shut up!" Misaki snapped, flicking his hand away. By degrees she managed to control the color in her cheeks, feeling relieved when the temperature of her face cooled.

When she felt she had regained appropriate control, she risked looking back at her companion. His green gaze was already fixed on her, such a look of concern and adoration in them that she felt her pulse spike once more.

"Quit looking at me like that," she mumbled, looking away.

"Like what, Ayuzawa?" he asked, leaning down.

"Like…_that_," she said inarticulately, gesturing at his soft gaze.

He smiled, and leaned in close. His warm breath brushed across her lips, but apart from that, he did not touch her. He didn't need to. Staring up into his eyes, she could feel the warm embrace he had wrapped her in so many times before, despite the fact that there were still several inches between the two of them. When he spoke, his voice was a soft, silky whisper.

"You mean, like I love you?"


	2. Special Service

Misaki and Usui had been taken and steered into the building the second they had shown the ticket they had won by passing the trial. Now Misaki was being stripped and changed, with a couple of girls putting together what looked like an extremely girly outfit, and another few doing something foreign to her hair.

She hardly noticed what the group of over-enthusiastic girls was doing to her, though, her mind still caught on those few moments during the sunset. Usui's eyes had glowed with electric green fire in the light of the dying sun, blazing with passionate intensity as he looked down at her. His presence had been everywhere, that strong, warm aura enveloping her in its protective sphere even though he never touched her. In that one instant, she had felt a completely mad urge to lean up, to close that little bit of distance…

_You mean, like I love you?_

He said those words so casually. So easily. He knew exactly how he felt, and made no attempts to keep it from her. Usui didn't expect a response from her. That's not why he said it. He told her simply so that she knew what he felt for her. So that she knew exactly what she was to him.

But what was _he_ to _her_? It had to be killing Usui, having Misaki know his true feelings and seeing her do nothing, hearing her say nothing, to validate those feelings. Kuuga had been on the mark. Usui was enduring her. Enduring everything she put him through, just so that he could cling to his hopes that it might really be worth it. That she might feel the same. That a relationship between the two of them might not be crazy or impossible.

The two of them really were like fire and water, as Erika had said that day in the café. Their personalities were so different from each other, at total opposite ends of the same spectrum. Usui was always so cool and calm. Nothing ever phased that guy. She, on the other hand, was always on edge, always wound up. She was a big ball of nerves and stress where he was easy-going and relaxed. She had never once heard him raise his voice, even when she was sure he was pissed. There were a total of two times that she had ever even seen Usui's sure fury on his face, and both times were branded into her mind. Misaki couldn't remember having ever seen or heard any indication that he threw his weight around, getting into fights he already knew that he would win. Her voice was almost constantly a shout, her strength something she felt she needed to prove, or else the boys would try to walk all over her. And yet, despite these observations, she refused to acknowledge that she took any notice at all of Usui Takumi.

Could she really deny that strange feeling she always got around him anymore? _Should_ she? He was the only one that had ever made her feel this way. Sure, Hinata did love her, in his own way, and being around him was easy and effortless, just like when they were children. But Hinata didn't understand her, and he made little effort to. He was stuck in the past, seeing her as a girl she no longer was. He still saw the little girl without daddy issues who had never been to an aikido class. That girl had been gone for a long time.

That easy, long-time childhood relationship was something she lacked with Usui, but it hardly mattered. The seventeen year old paid attention to her, asked little, random questions and took note of the tiniest, most insignificant details of her life, just for the opportunity to know her better. He always asked her opinion. Always asked her questions designed to let him see into her head, and at the same time made her think herself. Usui Takumi _wanted_ to understand her, and he did a damn good job at getting what he wanted. In the process, he actually even helped her to understand herself a little better, though she was loathe to admit it.

Her heart seemed to race whenever she was with him. Strange feelings clouded her mind whenever they walked together, talked together.

_Damn_, she thought. _I'll have to talk to him somehow._

"All finished! You look amazing in that!" squealed the girls around Misaki.

She blinked rapidly and looked around, realizing where she was. And more importantly, what she was wearing.

_So this is what they meant by "special service…"_

~…~

Usui could hear the enthusiasm of the girls even through the walls as they dressed Misaki. The guys trying to help him were rather quiet by comparison, but not in a rude way.

He looked out the window of the classroom, at the now dark sky. The fireworks would be starting soon. The light from the bonfire was bright enough that he could see it in a wide circle, without even having to actually see the fire.

_Ayuzawa…_

She was cruel. She really was, but he loved her all the same. The prez was just so clueless that, at the same time that it drove him crazy, he also found it rather endearing. It was strange to him. No girl had ever caught and held his interest the way Misaki Ayuzawa did. He'd never felt that kind of passion, the overwhelming desire—no, the _need_—to protect something so valuable. It was an emotion staggering in its strength.

What was she thinking about now, he wondered? He hoped that she was thinking about him, about what had transpired between them not an hour ago. Was it foolish to hope for such a thing? He had been clinging to the belief that they could work, that whatever she said, she did truly love him, but was he wrong? Was he just being stupid, chasing after a girl who would never chase after him?

No. He refused to believe that. She cared for him. Maybe she didn't love him, not yet, but she cared for him more than she was willing to admit. He knew it. There was no way that something between them would never be able to work. The two of them worked perfectly together, like a well-oiled machine. Together, they were unbeatable. She would always be there to bring him light; he would always be there to save the day. That was how it would always be, and he would never have wanted it any other way.

"So are you two actually a couple?" asked one of the guys unexpectedly. Usui blinked and looked around for the speaker. It was a boy of average height, with short, spiky brown hair and dark blue eyes. Probably a freshman, but possibly a second year.

"Why?" asked Usui.

"I just heard the girl complaining about how she hadn't even wanted to do the challenge," he said hesitantly. "She said you tricked her into it."

Usui chuckled quietly.

"I guess I sort of did."

He was perfectly aware that he hadn't actually answered the boy's question, but that didn't seem to bother the boy very much. Usui had neglected to give him a straight answer because, in truth, he wasn't sure how he could. The young man had every intention of making it so, but with Ayuzawa fighting herself and him at every turn, it would be a long, hard road for the both of them. Still, the blonde was nothing if not determined, and was extremely good at getting what he wanted.

"Should we do something with his hair?" he heard someone mutter.

"Leave it," was the response. Smart move. Usui wasn't overly fond of other people messing with his hair.

"Well, then, we're done."

Usui looked down at himself. Huh. Not really what he would have chosen to wear for himself, but he could not _wait _to see Ayuzawa's matching outfit. He was sure it would just make Aoi fall over himself in giddiness.


	3. A Single Rose

Usui was waiting in the hall outside of the girl's changing room. The high-pitched giggling and cooing were travelling a little too well through the thin walls. He wondered what Ayuzawa was thinking. Certainly, she wouldn't be one of the gigglers, but he couldn't hear her groaning either.

"You look perfect in that!" one girl squealed.

"Create your own special memories in this special uniform on this special night!" Huh. What a tacky line. But…still cute, he supposed.

"Please enjoy yourself," said a much more mellow voice.

"Romeo's waiting for you!" yet another girl said in a very loud whisper.

Taking that as his cue, Usui reached out and slid the door to the side, peering around in search of Misaki. What he saw was even better than he had expected. Somehow someone had managed to wrestle the Prez into a floor length, pale dusty pink, Renaissance style dress. A dark rose colored sash was tied around her ribcage, pulling the dress more tightly around her waist and accenting both her hips and her bust. The neckline of the dress was modest, but low and wide enough that the necklace from the challenge was clearly visible. He was a little surprised that she had actually kept it on.

Not only that, but unlike the guys that had been working with him, the other girls had played with Misaki's hair a bit. It was all pulled to one side in an artfully messy side ponytail, and through the base was pinned a single, scarlet rose. It was almost the same color that her cheeks had been all day.

Misaki had her own moment of stunned admiration. Dressed in a well-fitting costume in colors stuck somewhere between green and blue, Usui would not have looked out of place at a Shakespearean festival. The poet shirt and darker tunic suited him surprisingly well. Only his clothes had been swapped out, though. While the girls had pulled her hair up and back, Usui's honey locks had been left to their own devices.

"Hey," he said quietly, holding out a hand.

She blushed and marched past him out into the hall. After a moment of silent, bemused laughter, Usui followed her out, shutting the door quietly behind them.

"You look good Juliet."

"Stop it!" she grumbled. "It's embarrassing!"

He smiled and shook his head. He couldn't exactly disagree with her. This outfit was certainly not something that he would ever have picked out for himself, but he figured that they might as well enjoy their time tonight.

"I heard they're going to have fireworks in this event," he said, changing the subject rather abruptly.

"Is that so?"

Misaki hadn't heard anything about fireworks. But then, she hadn't really been paying attention to most of what was going on around her. Her main focus that day had been first Sakura, and then Usu—no, no, just Sakura. That was her only concern.

"Since we're here already, let's watch that," Usui suggested, already heading down the hall.

"Y-yeah," replied Misaki, picking up her skirt to catch up to him.

She needn't have worried. He hadn't gone far at all when he stopped and flung open another door. The first door on their right, actually. It led into a dark, deserted classroom. The lights weren't on, but there was enough moonlight that Misaki could see boxes piled up in the room, as well as some remaining decorations. Misaki felt a little hesitant to enter the room with Usui, not because she didn't trust him, but…well…If she was completely honest with herself, she didn't trust _her_.

"Good. This place seems to have the best view of the fireworks."

Determined to beat her anxiety, she marched in after him, but her resolve faltered quickly. She didn't think that they were supposed to be in this room.

"Is it fine to enter just like this?" she wondered, watching him cross the room.

Hardly perturbed, Usui just sat on the wide window ledge and leaned back, not a care in the world. He looked out through the window, down to the bonfire. There were a lot of people circled around it.

"It's fine as long as we don't mess it up," he answered.

Face burning, Misaki resolutely walked across the rest of the room, to stand beside Usui.

"What's wrong," said Usui softly, leaning back on the sill, "Ayuzawa?"

The look she caught him giving her from the corner of her eyes made her blush deepen. It was his challenging expression that said he was just daring her to speak her mind for once.

"N-nothing's w-wrong…" she mumbled unconvincingly.

Now was probably the best time. She had to talk to him, to ask him. But how?

"Is it? Fine, then," he answered, looking away with a smirk attesting that he won his challenge.

She frowned.

"Let's change places. Watching from the campfire site might be better."

"A-are you enduring this?" she blurted.

There it was. The words had come out of her mouth without her realizing that they wanted to. Well, at least she wouldn't have to worry about how to initiate _that_ conversation. Her subconscious had done it for her.

Usui looked over, taken aback by the question.

"You mean the fireworks?" he asked. "Not really—"

"That's not what I meant…" she said, feeling suddenly nervous. She wouldn't back down, though. She'd committed herself. "Are you…enduring a lot of things…just for me?"

Usui blinked and looked around at her, surprised. Her amber eyes were downcast, and her teeth tugged at her lower lip. She'd been so unobservant, so clueless, all this time. How had she come to ask him such a question?

The startled look on his face may as well have been a confirmation, but he didn't actually give her an answer. In the next instant, he'd adopted his look of cool indifference again, and rose to his feet.

"Why do you think so?" he asked, slowly approaching her.

"I…just felt that way…" she mumbled, feeling her back hit the windowsill when she made to move away.

"So you knew about it," he sighed.

"So I was right? What were you—"

"How cruel of you, Ayuzawa," he said, placing his hands on the ledge on either side of her, effectively cutting off any escape. Still he wore that irritating little smile. "Do you want me to say it out loud?"

His only answer was a small, nervous noise from the back of her throat.

"I'll tell you, if you answer my question."

"What do you…"

"Why are you that bothered by me?" he wondered softly.

"There's no reason," she mumbled. "I don't know it myself, even if you ask me."

"You don't know, eh…" he said. His features were disappointed. He closed his eyes a moment before continuing. The little gesture made him look…older. Weary. "Do you know? You always lie at times like this."

"W-what are you saying?"

"Why are you blushing so hard now?"

"I'm not blushing—!"

"Are you nervous?"

"I'm…I'm not!"

"Are you enduring as well?"

Something inside her snapped. She looked back up at him, almost alarmed by the serious look on his face. There must have been some emotion on her face that concerned Usui, because his lips tilted up in a seemingly forced smile, and he patted her lightly on her head.

"Sorry," he said softly. "I crossed the line."

He turned to leave. Misaki was frozen for a moment, testing her resolve. Then, when he had taken maybe five steps away, she spoke.

"…I am."

Said as she lunged forward to catch his hand. He stopped and made a shocked noise, astonished by her action.

"I've been enduring! Why must it be you? I don't get it at all!" she cried. Usui turned around to look at her blushing face. "You're a pervert who annoys me all the time. You're always running ahead of me and teasing me."

"Ayuzawa!" he tried to interrupt, startled by her flow of emotion.

"It's your fault!"

"Calm down!"

"I wouldn't have realized it if not for that game!"

"What are you saying—"

"I wanted to join hands with you since a long time ago!"

Finally, she lifted her head to meet his eyes, and he was further stupefied to find that hers were shining brightly. Then, as if realizing what she had done, she bowed her head again and continued.

"One minute you're sexually harassing me, then gone the next…Just what are you thinking? Why is my heart beating so fast?" She sounded like she was close to tears. "Why do I feel lonely when you leave me? Why are you…the only one causing me so much confusion? You idiot, why do you always tease me?"

Usui's heart nearly stopped when that small girl leaned her forehead against his chest. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. His heart seemed to be beating in his throat and thundering in his ears. He slid his hand away from hers.

"You're really sly, Ayuzawa," he said in a hoarse whisper.

His fingers came back to cover hers, lacing together this time.

"Just how much more are you gonna make me endure?"

She leaned back from him, but held his hand tightly.

"I wanted to see your interesting expressions; that's why I teased you." His voice grew stronger as he continued. "Your sudden smiles always surprise me. They're interesting, but dangerous enough to make my heart race. Yes, I have been enduring a lot of things, and I can't phrase it short."

Wanting badly to touch her, Usui's other hand rose to caress the side of her face, sliding beneath loose strands of her beautiful black hair.

"Even now…" he murmured.

He gazed down at her, waiting for her to look up. Slowly, she did, and she saw two emeralds glowing brightly with compassion, with adoration, and—dare she say it?—with love. Her own golden eyes were still unsure, but they were warm as they looked up into his. Her free slender hand drifted up to cover his, trembling slightly but not with fear. Still with their gazes locked, Usui leaned down slowly, giving Ayuzawa every chance to pull away, to protest.

Outside, the first of the fireworks was set into the night sky, bursting into a ring of vibrant, rose red. Just like Misaki's blush.

* * *

_**Good Lord, I chose this part OF THE ANIME so that I could get a chance to delve into what the characters were feeling then. I wanted to go deeper than just what we SAW in episode 26 or in the manga. Come on, it's not rocket science. Gonna be finicky? Go somewhere else. You know if I'm talking to you**_


	4. Surprise Surprise

It was a better kiss than last time, her first kiss, when she had no idea what was going on. His lips were still warm, still soft, but more welcome when they slanted across her own. Usui's left hand tightened in hers, and his right tilted her head and guided her closer. Another blush crept across her cheeks, this one more slowly than the scalding flashes of heat that he normally made her experience. He kissed her reverently, like something both sacred and fragile that might shatter if handled too roughly. She was a little self-conscious to confess that she like the way he kissed her, so gentle and caring.

Usui guided her close to him, seeking her warmth, her soft touch. He was fully aware that he had stolen her first kiss on top of Seika High's roof, but he had been determined ever since then to get her second kiss, one where she participated. His wish had just come true, he knew, as he moved his lips gently over hers and felt her respond in kind. His Misa-chan felt so small when he had her pulled against his chest, and that made him all the more responsive to the softness of her skin and the warmth of her lips. She was unpracticed, but a quick learner.

The two could hear the firework display begin outside, but they didn't care. For a short, blissful moment, they were wrapped up in each other, Usui celebrating his victory and Misaki wondering how the hell any of this had ever even happened.

After what seemed like hours, Usui pulled back, and brushed his thumb across Ayuzawa's cheek, exceedingly warm even to him. Slowly, her hand that wasn't clasped in his fell back to her side in a movement that indicated a rather numb feeling to Misaki.

"This is what's on my mind right now," he whispered, not letting her go.

His electric green eyes were blazing, but at the same time, somehow soft and gentle. Misaki felt sure that she looked like a blotchy scarlet mess, but if she did, Usui obviously didn't care.

"I love you, Ayuzawa."

Outside, Usui saw a rocket shoot up into the air, and explode into vibrant azure sparks. The explosion took the shape of a funny looking little ghost that seemed extremely familiar, and extremely cute.

Misaki felt her heart constrict with some strong, heated emotion, as if in the face of this feeling the organ could not remember how to function correctly. Her fingers were still trembling slightly, and in response, Usui's hand held hers more tightly. She had a feeling that that moment, right there, would be branded into her memory until the day she died, and she couldn't find it in herself to complain about that. It was a beautiful moment.

"I…" she muttered.

"I know, Ayuzawa," he chuckled. "You hate me, right?"

"Shut up, you idiot," she muttered, leaning her forehead on his chest once more in the same breath.

"So cold," Usui teased. His hand slid through her hair, pulling it out of the ponytail so that he could trail locks of it between his fingers.

"Usui, I…I love you…too," she whispered, her face flaming yet again.

He went so still, like a statue, that Misaki instinctively tried to step back, thinking she had done or said something wrong. However, he wouldn't let her. The hand playing with the hair at the nape of her neck tightened, holding her close, and his other hand dropped hers, but only to slide around her slender waist. The embrace was every bit as tender as every other one he'd ever given her, but this one at the same time felt different. It wasn't the pounding of her heart—no, she felt that _every single time_—nor was it the color or heat in her cheeks. It was the soothing, comforting warmth that seemed to emanate from him and seep into her, unaccompanied by her blatant denials and forced anger.

"Misaki-chan," he said quietly, burying his face in her hair. "You are a dangerous woman. I hope to God that no other fool touches you, or I'll have to kill him."

Misaki didn't respond with any sort of insult on how rich it was to hear words like that coming from a perverted stalker space alien such as himself. She didn't answer with some long-winded and admittedly arrogant speech about how she was strong and could take perfectly good care of herself. No, for a change, Misaki didn't give any of her usual replies. Instead, in a complete deviation from the norm, she wrapped her strong but slim arms around his own tapered waist, returning his hug. She felt him press a kiss to the top of her head.

"…You're warm," she whispered.

"So are you," he answered, tightening his hold on her for a moment before releasing her altogether.

Misaki kept a hold of his hand, which made Usui's heart jump once again. A small amount of color crept across his own cheeks, but any blush for him was like seeing Misaki Ayuzawa turn the color of a tomato.

"Shall we go down to the campfire?" he asked, smiling his amazing, heart-stopping smile.

Unsure if she recalled how to speak, Misaki simply nodded, and allowed him to lead her out of the room and down the hall by her hand. A bench beside the fire had been left empty for the Romeo and Juliet of the evening, and the obligingly took their places of honor, sitting closely together.

The warmth from the campfire, mixed with the fatigue of the day, made Misaki's eyelids droop drowsily, though staying up was usually an easy task for her. Usui noticed her starting to nod off, and laughed quietly. With a gentle hand, he reached up and guided her head to his shoulder. Instead of leaping away, as he had expected, she just sighed with a slightly exasperated edge and then nestled into his side. Not one to pass up any opportunity, Usui wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders.

That was how they were when Yukimura found out that he and Kanou were not the only students from Seika High School present at the festival.

Usui hadn't seen the Prez look so panicked and cornered since she had hit the photo of her as a maid from his hand, and it was nearly found by those irritating quintuplets. When the other three turned to look at him, he just laughed and kissed the back of Misaki's hand, which he was now holding in a vice-like grip.

The bruise on his shoulder was totally worth it.


End file.
